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Make C-API docs clear about what the "main" interpreter is #80668

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nanjekyejoannah opened this issue Mar 30, 2019 · 6 comments
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Make C-API docs clear about what the "main" interpreter is #80668

nanjekyejoannah opened this issue Mar 30, 2019 · 6 comments
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3.8 only security fixes 3.9 only security fixes docs Documentation in the Doc dir

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@nanjekyejoannah
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BPO 36487
Nosy @ncoghlan, @ericsnowcurrently, @nanjekyejoannah
PRs
  • bpo-36487: Make C-API docs clear about what the main interpreter is #12666
  • [3.8] bpo-36487: Make C-API docs clear about what the main interpreter is. (gh-12666) #15080
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    Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.

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    GitHub fields:

    assignee = 'https://github.com/nanjekyejoannah'
closed_at = <Date 2019-08-02.15:54:28.914>
created_at = <Date 2019-03-30.15:55:50.543>
labels = ['3.8', '3.9', 'docs']
title = 'Make C-API docs  clear about what the "main" interpreter is'
updated_at = <Date 2019-08-02.17:49:41.492>
user = 'https://github.com/nanjekyejoannah'

    bugs.python.org fields:

    activity = <Date 2019-08-02.17:49:41.492>
actor = 'eric.snow'
assignee = 'nanjekyejoannah'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2019-08-02.15:54:28.914>
closer = 'eric.snow'
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2019-03-30.15:55:50.543>
creator = 'nanjekyejoannah'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 36487
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 6.0
messages = ['339207', '339508', '339509', '348904', '348906', '348909']
nosy_count = 3.0
nosy_names = ['ncoghlan', 'eric.snow', 'nanjekyejoannah']
pr_nums = ['12666', '15080']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue36487'
versions = ['Python 3.8', 'Python 3.9']
    @nanjekyejoannah
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    Following up a discussion on a PR here : #12238, There is need to make sure the C-API docs are clear about what the "main" interpreter is.

    @nanjekyejoannah nanjekyejoannah self-assigned this Mar 30, 2019
    @nanjekyejoannah nanjekyejoannah added docs Documentation in the Doc dir 3.8 only security fixes labels Apr 2, 2019
    @ericsnowcurrently
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    I should have added something like this earlier, but here are key points to consider covering:

    • "main" interpreter is the original, created when the runtime initializes
    • historically almost always the only Python interpreter in a process
      • this is changing (more projects using subinterpreters, PEP-554)
      • in the "python" executable, subinterpreters available via extension modules (but uncommon)
    • it has extra responsiblities:
      • signal handling, in main thread
      • "pending calls", in main thread
        • not necessarily something to publicize :)
      • running in the "main" thread
        • can be taken over by a sub-interpreter, but not likely
      • execution *during* runtime initialization
      • usually (always?) the active interpreter during runtime finalization
      • others?
    • no strong link between interpreters (e.g. main <--> sub <--> sub)
      • no record of what interpreter was active (if any) when a subinterpreter was created
      • no "parent" interpreter
      • thread states may share thread ID
    • a bunch of stuff in the C-API and in the runtime still assumes that the main interpreter is running in the current OS thread
    • other stuff?

    Not all of that necessarily belongs there in the docs, but a lot of it does. :)

    @nanjekyejoannah
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    Thanks for this feedback. Let me see how I can incorporate this in the PR.

    @ericsnowcurrently
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    New changeset 854d0a4 by Eric Snow (Joannah Nanjekye) in branch 'master':
    bpo-36487: Make C-API docs clear about what the main interpreter is. (gh-12666)
    854d0a4

    @ericsnowcurrently
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    Thanks, Joannah!

    @ericsnowcurrently ericsnowcurrently added the 3.9 only security fixes label Aug 2, 2019
    @ericsnowcurrently
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    New changeset 375f35b by Eric Snow (Miss Islington (bot)) in branch '3.8':
    bpo-36487: Make C-API docs clear about what the main interpreter is. (gh-15080)
    375f35b

    @ezio-melotti ezio-melotti transferred this issue from another repository Apr 10, 2022
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